Improvement in machines for cutting and punching leather straps



1. F; HU LLISTERQ Machines for Cutting and.Bunching Leather Straps No.139,388. I Patented May27.1873.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN F. HOLLISTER, OF PLANO, ILLINOIS.

IMPROVEMENT lN MACHINES FOR CUTTING AND PUNCHING LEATHER STRAFS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent N0.139,3SS, dated May 27,1873 application filed April 14, 1873. I

To allwhom it may concern: Be itknown that I, JOHN F. HOLLISTER ofPlano, in the county of Kendall and State of Illinois, have inventedcertain new and useful Improvements in Machines for Outtin g andPunching Leather Straps, of which the following is a full, clear, andexact description, referencev being had to the accompanying drawings,which form a part of this specification, in which- Figure 1 represents aperspective view of my improved machine; Fig. 2, a plan or top view ofthe same; and Fig. 3 a modification of the punching device, adapted topunching straps of any length.

. Similar letters of reference denote corresponding parts in all thefigures.

My invention has for its object the construction of a machine forcutting straps of leather of uniform lengths, punching the holes thereinat regular intervals, and for skiving the end of the strap at a singleoperation, whereby it is particularly adapted for use by harnessmakers,and others, who find it necessary for any purpose to out large numbersof straps of uniform size. The invention consists in the employment oftwo pivoted segments provided one with a clamp for grasping the strap,and

the other with a series of punches, arranged to operate againsttheopposing face of the first named segment for punching the holes in thestraps, ashereinafter described; and further, in connecting these disksor segments by means of straps instead of teeth for producing a regular,even, and, at the same time, a positive movement of the segments in bothdirections, and insuring an even measurement of the lengthsof strap. Itfurther consists in the employment of a reciprocating knife incombination with the pivoted segments, and

operated thereby, or by mechanism connected therewith in such mannerthat when properly adjusted relatively it will out any desired number ofstraps of uniform length. It further consists in the combination, withthe segments, of a skiving-knife, the construction and arrangement beingsuch that, after the strap is cut of the proper length, the end of thestrap is skived in such manner as to adapt it p to be readily sewed toanother strap or thick- .ness of leather for attaching buckles, and

from the following description with reference to the drawings, in which-Arepresents a bed-plate, bench, or table of any suitable construction; B0, segments or disks, mounted in pivotal bearings in plate A in suchmanner as to turn or vibrate freely, and so arranged as to vibrate inopposite directions with their outer curved faces in close proximitywith each other. These segments or disks are connected with each otherby means of straps -b 0, each connected at one endwith the segment B,and at the other with the segment 0, as follows: The strap 12 isconnected at b with the segment B, and at its other end with the segment0 at b and the strap a alternating with or crossing the strap 11 isconnected at c with the segment B, and c with the segment 0, the strapsb and 0 being arranged one above the other and crossing from one segmentto the other, as shown in dotted lines, Fig. 2. The segments in thatportion of their adjacent faces covered by the straps are each in, ornearly in, the arc of a circle, and thus connected by the straps bc,which, by preference, I make of light steel springs,

are simultaneously operated in either direction by a positive movementwhenever either of them is operated, and by a device much simpler andless expensive than cogs or teeth, besides giving a much smoother. andmore even and regular, and therefore more desirable, movement for thepurpose herein described. The segments B G are each double, or ratherhave, in addition to the lower portion to which the straps are connectedfor operating them as described, each an upper segment, as follows Thesegment B has upon it an upper portion, B of a-diameter diminishedsuflicient to accommodate the punches a secured to its outer curvedface, as shown.

The upper portion of segment 0, on thecontrary, slightly overhangs thelower portion, as shown by the dotted lines, Fig. 2,; said overhangingface forming, by preference, an elastic cushion, d, of leather or othersuitable facing, for the punches at to out against, said facing ofleather extending from one end, d of the are or segment to a point, dwhere it is supplemented by an unyielding overhanging and slightlyeccentric ledge or lip, 01 which serves to move the end of the strapgradually outward, and to hold it up to the action of a skiving-knife,D, secured to the bed-plate A. The segments thus constructed andconnected are actuated by a handle or lever, E, pivoted to segment B ate, and further connected with said segment by a spring strap or brace,F, a

' pin or bolt at f connecting the strap with the handle or lever througha slot, 6, which allows a slight movement of the handle relative to thesegment at each end of its throw. G is a reciprocating knife mounted invertical slots in standards 9 g in a plate, G pivoted at g to thebed-plate or table A at any convenient point, and provided with avertical lip or shoulder, G against which the knife works for cuttingthe strap. His a lever piV oted to the face of plate A, and providedwith a pivoted arm or spur, h, which passes through a slot in or betweenshoulders on the knifeblade G, as shown, for operating the same, andmade adjustable relative to the lever H, if desired, for varying thethrow or movement of the knife, by means of a set-screw shown in dottedlines'at h", Fig. 2. 'i is a stop for limitin g the movement of theplate G in one direction, and I is a spring applied to lever H, and soarranged that when the lever is at rest the tension of said springserves to hold the lever-plate G firmly against the stop i, and thelever-arm 11 against a stoppin, i, as shown in Fig. 2.

The lever-arm H is provided on its upper I facewith a pin or spur, hthrough which the lever is actuated as follows The arm or lever E, foractuating the segments, has on its lower face, and at its outer-swingingend, a pivoted spring dog or latch, J, which, by the tension of aspring, j, is held when at rest against a stop-pin, j. The outerswinging end of the latch or dog is curved slightly, as shown, and is soarranged that, when the parts are in position to begin their operativestroke, the pin h on the lever-arm B will rest in the curve in the endof latch J, the yielding movement of lever B allowing the pin k to passthe latch or dog J and enter the curve or notch in its end, as shown inFig. 1. It is necessary to vary the position of the knife G upon thebench or bed-plate, and relatively to the disks or segments, for cuttingstraps of different lengths, and this may be done by connecting the pink on the knife-lever with an adjustable slide; or the same end may beattained by adjusting the handle E, relatively to the disk or segment,so that, for a short strap but slight movement of the segments will berequired, and anincreasing throw may be given corresponding to theincreased length of strap to be cut. K is a sliding dog or jaw connectedto one side of segment 0, and provided with a hook or jaw projectingover the curved face for grasping and holding the strap to be cut andpunched. Said slide is connected with the segment by a slot andset-screw, or

in any convenient manner, and is held firmly in place grasping the strapby any convenient arrangement of spring for that purpose until theoperation of cutting, skiving, and punching is completed, when anangular foot-piece, is, striking against a pin, k, the dog 70 is thrustoutward, allowing the completed strap to drop out of the machine throughan opening, A, in the bed-plate. L is a flat tension-spring, secured toan adjustable post or standard, M,

which may be secured in any one of a series of holes, In, in thebed-plate A, for varying the pressure or tension of the spring. N is astandard secured to the base-plate for holding the free end against thesegment 0, or the strap moving on the face of said segment. The upperend of standard N is armed with a horizontal spur, which overhangs thespring L, and also, if desired, the face of segment 0,

serving to hold the spring down properly, and also as a guide to thestrap which is being operated upon. The object of the spring L is tokeep the strap taut on the face of segment 0, insuring its being punchedat regular intervals, and also the cutting of the straps of uniformlengths. The upper portion 13 of segment B is, by preference, faced witha perforated metal plate, B for securing the punches, and pockets orrecesses formed within the segments serve to receive the wads cut by thepunches, said pockets opening underneath and permitting the wads toescape through an opening in the bed-plate A.

In operation, supposing the parts to be in position shown in Fig. 1, thestrap is inserted between the knife G and its opposing cuttingface Gbetween the skiving-knife D and tension-spring L, and the segment 0, andis grasped and held to the latter at its forward end by the dog K.Motion is now imparted by means of the handle or, crank E, and the latchJ, operating the lever H and its knifeactuating spur h, the knife G isthrust forward and cuts the strap the desired length. A continuedmovement of the handle actuates the segments punching the strap, and theend of the strap, resting against the eccentric portion d of segment 0,is carried up to the skivingknife D and properly pared; thence themovement carries the skived end past the tensionspring L, when theangular foot k of dog K is brought into contact with the stop k and thedog is thrust outward, releasing the strap, which drops through theopening A, when the movement of the segments, where segments areemployed, is reversed, and the parts, returned to the position shown inFig. 1, are ready to repeat the operation. Where disks are used themotion may be continuous, and either the vibrating segments or rotatingdisks may be operated by hand, by crank, or lever, as shown, or by powerapplied either to a crank or pulley in any convenient manner.

The pivoting of the knife-frame G allows the knife to vibrate slightlywith the forward movement of the strap as the knife is passing throughit, and the form of the spur H is such as to form an inclined plane upwhich a friction-roller on the knife rides, where vibration of theknife-frame occurs, and thus insures the cutting of the strap.

Where disks are employed, and it is simply desired to punch straps ofany length, the knife may be removed, and a construction substantiallylike that shown in Fig. 3 may be employed.

Having now described my invention, I would have it understood that whatI claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent,'is

1. The pivoted segments B 0 provided one with the holding jaw or clampK, and the other with the punches a, combined and operatingsubstantially as and for the purpose described.

2. The segments B G, in combination with the straps b 0, applied andoperating substantially as described.

3. The combination of the knife G with the punching-segments B O, forcutting the straps of uniform lengths, as described.

4. The skiving-knife D, in combination with the eccentric 01 on thesegment or disk 0, sub- JOHN F. HOLLISTER.

Witnesses:

, A. L. MOORE, A. N. BEEBE.

